Submission and Addiction [Part 21-Epilogue]
7 Years Later
Kris was late.
His bag bounced against his side as he sat up on his horse’s back, riding as quickly as he could down the road that led to the Palace.
He’d wanted something to occupy his time and he’d been surprised to find plenty of work. He and Adam had come to know some of the people who lived near them and the families with young children had hired Kris to teach their young ones to read. Kris had loved every minute spent as a teacher.
After a few years of simple, private tutoring, Adam had sent off a letter to the Pharaoh. Not long afterwards, Kris had found himself with the position of educator to the Pharaoh and Nesa’s two children. The boy, Musan, would grow up to be his father’s heir, and he had a younger sister named Jelnae. Musan was a more receptive student as he was older, but Jelnae was wonderfully sweet. Kris found them both to be delightful.
Years ago, Kris had been a servant. Now he was teaching the Pharaoh’s children. He never would have thought.
When Kris had first taken the job, the Pharaoh had offered Kris and Adam their own rooms in the Palace so Kris wouldn’t have to travel for his lessons. Kris had immediately declined the offer, knowing that Adam would never want to set foot in the Palace again. Kris didn’t think he could live there either. So now, a few times during each moon cycle, Kris would set a day aside to travel to the Palace and spend the day teaching.
This morning he was running a bit late, but it was all Adam’s fault. He’d enticed Kris to stay in bed longer than he should have - with kisses and caresses.
When Kris finally reached the palace and he hurried to his classroom, he found Nesa sitting with the children.
“Good day, my Lady. I’m terribly sorry for the delay.”
Kris was a bit of a mess as he rushed in, his robes disheveled and throwing his bag haphazardly onto the table. Nesa looked amused at Kris’ flustered demeanor.
“It’s quite alright. It’s no problem for me to watch my own children for a few minutes longer.”
She kissed each of her children on the top of the head before rising up from where she’d been sitting on the floor. She brushed out the creases from her sheath dress. In seven years, Nesa had grown into a stunningly beautiful young woman and the most kind-hearted of mothers. The Pharaoh shared almost all of his power with her. He was not only smitten with her, but had learned an appreciation for her quiet intelligence and tactfulness. She was his most trusted advisor.
With a smile towards Kris, Nesa left the room.
“What are we doing today, Mister Kris?” Musan immediately asked with curiousity. “I hope not hieroglyphics, I hate those…”
“Well, I’m very sorry, Musan, but hieroglyphics are essential if one is to grow up to be a well-rounded ruler…”
Once his bag was all packed again and the children had run off to play, Kris began making his way out of the Palace.
“Kris! Wait a moment!”
Kris turned in the direction the voice had come and was surprised to see the Pharaoh himself hurrying towards him. Kris rarely saw the Pharaoh. When he did, Kris still felt intimidated by him. Not only for the obvious reason that he was the most powerful man in the whole country,…but also because Kris harbored a secret fear that the Pharaoh still desired Adam. In an instant, he could have Adam taken away for himself. Kris reminded himself that the Pharaoh wasn’t the kind of man to ever do such a thing, but rationality didn’t work very well towards thoughts like those.
“Your Majesty,” Kris addressed him without a hitch, bowing his head when the other man was standing before him.
The Pharaoh waved his hand dismissively.
“Away with formalities. You are my children’s’ teacher, you’re like family.”
“Thank you.”
“I have something to speak to you about.” The Pharaoh’s voice was all grim seriousness. It made Kris grow tense. “What do you know about Adam’s father?”
Kris was quiet for a few seconds, trying to figure out how it would make any sense for the Pharaoh to be asking about Adam’s father.
“Um,…Adam has told me about him, yes.”
“Do you know his name?” The Pharaoh seemed urgent and concerned, and that worried Kris.
“I don’t know,” Kris answered nervously, “Adam has only told me what he remembers of his father from when he was a child.”
“Then could you tell me what he’s told you?”
Kris tried his best to clear away the haze of confusion in his head over the Pharaoh’s request, and answer calmly.
“Well…Adam’s father was horrible to him. He’s to blame for almost all of Adam’s hardship. His father forced him into prostitution and practically reared him on it. He ingrained the practice so deeply, Adam couldn’t rid himself of it for a long time.”
The Pharaoh listened intently, but still looked concerned.
Finally, he commented to himself, “Yes…it must be him…”
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but…why are you asking?”
The Pharaoh sighed, crossing his arms as he looked down at the smaller man and met his eyes.
“A few days ago, some of my guards captured a man in one of my marketplaces. This man was selling young people into sexual slavery and keeping them in horrid conditions with hardly enough food. He was arrested and locked in one of the Palace cells. His name is Ahmose Lambert.”
Even though Kris didn’t know for sure whether or not this man was Adam’s father, the name still sent a cold shiver through him.
“Would you do me a favor, Kris?” The Pharaoh continued, “Go home and ask Adam whether this man is who I believe he is. If he indeed is,…after what you’ve told me about him…, Adam may choose to determine his punishment himself. I believe Adam deserves that. If he does not wish to take that offer, I will give Ahmose the justice I see fit.”
Kris practically staggered under the weight of this new development. He couldn’t imagine how Adam would feel when he heard this. Certainly terrible. Kris dreaded sharing this with Adam and dredging up old pain.
“I will tell him. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
When Kris arrived home, he found Adam seated on the couch in the living room with a book in his lap. Adam seemed engrossed in his book and didn’t look up, but he’d smiled when he heard Kris come through the front door. Kris let his bag drop to the floor and he came into the room. He came up beside the couch and slipped his arms around Adam’s shoulders, pulling Adam’s head in against his chest. Adam smiled again as Kris kissed the top of his head and mussed his hair a bit with his fingers.
“How were the kids?” Adam asked, finally looking up from his book.
“Fine. How were you fairing with your book? You’re still my most important student, you know.”
“I was getting through it just fine, thank you. I don’t think I’m really in need of your tutelage anymore, oh great teacher.”
Adam closed his book and Kris just laughed a little. Adam turned so he could get his arms around Kris’ waist. Adam pushed the book away and pulled Kris down into its place on his lap. Kris moved willingly with him, straddling Adam’s waist and letting Adam manhandle him a little.
Tugging Kris closer, Adam whined a little, “I miss you when you go away all day. You go far too often.”
Kris slid his arms around Adam’s neck as his laid down on top of Adam with his front pressed against Adam’s chest. He gave Adam a quick kiss.
“It’s the alternative to living in the Palace. I know you’d hate that.”
“Eugh, I would,” Adam said, giving a horrified shudder.
“And I enjoy this job. I’m attached to the children now.”
Adam made a show of sighing indulgently. “Whatever makes you happy, I suppose. Even if it is at my expense.”
“Hey, that’s not fair. I miss you too when I’m gone. But you always know I’m coming home before sunset,” Kris said and kissed Adam again.
A few years ago, Adam had reached the age of thirty and had suffered something of a meltdown because of it. Kris had thought he was being ridiculous. Of course Adam had acquired a few soft wrinkles here and there, but they were only noticeable when Kris was this close - with his face practically pressed up to Adam’s. When Kris reached thirty, as he soon would, he knew he would develop the same. He was just glad he and Adam were experiencing it together. Kris had assured Adam many times that Kris still thought he was beautiful, and eventually Adam had gotten over his age insecurity.
They’d started kissing on the couch, and Adam was already sliding his hands beneath Kris’ tunic. These days, Adam wore looser, much more modest clothing. This was fine by Kris - these clothes were easier to take off of him than the tight ones Adam had always worn way back when. It wasn’t long before they were panting each other’s names and Kris was sliding down onto his lover.
While it had taken a long time for both of them to be comfortable with it, they had experimented a few times in bed with Kris on top. The experiences hadn’t been bad by any means, but they both preferred this way. It felt more natural for them.
Once they were both sufficiently sweaty and out of breath from the peak of their lovemaking, they curled up together on the couch. Kris quickly kindled a fire before carrying in a blanket from the bedroom for good measure. The nights often grew bitterly cold, but they knew how to keep warm. (There was no technique better than sharing body heat.)
With the blanket situated over both of their still-bare bodies, Adam had settled down with his head nestled in Kris’ lap and his eyes closed. Kris was combing his fingers through Adam’s hair. He didn’t think he’d ever lose his fixation with Adam’s hair. It had taken him a long time to get used to Adam’s short hair, but now Kris loved it even more than when his hair had been long. The shorter, mussed hair seemed to suit Adam better.
“I did some of your laundry today,” Adam said suddenly, burying in a little more into Kris’ lap. “Who would have thought,” he said with a little chuckle. “Me,…doing housework. Michael would be in disbelief.”
“What an absolutely lovely little house maid you make, dearest.”
Adam gave Kris’ leg a swat, but he was smiling.
Adam just looked like he was getting comfortable and nearing sleep when Kris remembered what he’d had to tell him. Kris frowned a bit as he looked down at Adam’s perfectly serene face. Waiting to tell him would only do less good. It would hang over both of them.
“Hey, Adam?” Kris asked tentatively, his hands stilling in Adam’s hair. “What was your father’s name?”
Kris felt Adam tense slightly as his eyes opened again.
“Why in the world are you asking that?”
Kris chewed his bottom lip, trying his best to think of the gentlest way to retell what the Pharaoh had told him.
“The Pharaoh himself stopped me today before I left the Palace. He had to discuss something with me.” Adam was fully awake again now, looking up at Kris with interest but more so apprehension. Kris started stroking Adam’s hair again, doing his best to soothe him as he continued, “He told me that one of his guards had arrested a man for dealings in underage slavery. The man’s name was Ahmose Lambert.”
Adam let out a harsh-sounding laugh all in one breath. He sat up. Kris watched him anxiously, his hands hovering above Adam’s shoulders, trying to calm him.
“It……” Adam paused, took a deep breath, “It’s him.”
Kris was silent for a few seconds, letting the enormity of this really sink in.
“The Pharaoh had more to say,” Kris said softly, wanting now to just get everything out, “After the injustices you’ve lived through because of your father…..if you wish a specific punishment to be given to him, you can order it.”
Adam’s head bent down into the crook of his arms now. He was silent for long, agonizing moments. Kris didn’t know what to do, and he hated that.
After what seemed like eternity, Adam finally sighed deeply and lifted his head. He slowly laid back again, his head finding its way back into Kris’ lap. Kris immediately started stroking his hair again. Adam closed his eyes and wrapped one hand tightly around Kris’ knee, as if to ground himself there.
After enough time had passed that Kris could bear it no longer, he asked Adam, “What do you think you’ll do?”
Adam’s eyes were open again, but he was gazing towards one of the walls unseeingly. Kris couldn’t tell whether he was deliberating something behind those eyes, or trying to resign himself to the decision he’d already made.
Finally, Adam said tonelessly, “I don’t care. I have nothing to do with him anymore. The Pharaoh can punish him based on whatever laws already exist.”
Kris quickly let go of the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
“Oh, Adam…” Kris murmured. Deep down, he’d been hoping that Adam would respond like this - the ultimate proof that he really had moved on from the horrible things done to him by his excuse for a father.
Kris didn’t know what to say. He had no words, so he just bent over and kissed Adam’s forehead. He kissed his nose, his cheeks, his lips, and all of them over again. “I love you.” Adam looked up at Kris and smiled, and Kris’ heart seized.
They fell into silence for a while. Neither of them really had the energy to speak much anymore. When both of their eyes were beginning to drift closed in sleep, they put out the fire in the fireplace and moved into bed together. They had several blankets spread over them and each of their bodies were wrapped around the other. There was no warmer, safer, better place.
With his head resting on Adam’s chest, Kris said a bit sleepily, “I’m thinking I may write a book.”
“Hm?”
“A book. I could write one. I’ve spent enough time teaching books. I could write my own.
“You certainly could,” Adam agreed, snuggling Kris closer in his arms.
“Maybe…” Kris mumbled softly, “It could be about two men that fall passionately in love. One is incredibly beautiful, he’s one of the most wonderful people this world has ever known.”
“Oh, so that would be you, of course.”
“No, no, that would be you,” Kris said with an amused shake of his head.
“Well…,” Adam began to say, but then had to pause for a yawn. He nestled back down close to Kris and closed his eyes again.
“No matter which is which, I think I’m familiar with the story.”
A/N: I don't really have much to say, aside from I'm sorry this took so long! I really hope you all found it worth the wait. Please, please comment and let me know what you all thought. :)
Also, since this whole thing took so much time and I'm quite proud of it, I'm trying to find other comms where I could post the completed fic for more people to read. Any suggestions?
Thanks so much for sticking this whole thing out with me, everyone. Much love <3